If you're a copy editor, this is a painful read

I don't think a copy editor would want to verify every name, event and result in a track (or swimming or wrestling) story and 60 inches of agate. I think he'd prefer to rely on the reporters to do their job correctly, and thus be able to spend the limited time available focusing on grammar, sentence structure, and making a 20-inch story fit into a 12-inch hole.

That's why I was asking for suggestions on fact verification. I have no idea if any of the information being supplied -- like who scored the game-winning goal -- in a story is accurate, nor is there a simple way to check given deadlines. I'd really like to know how you did it when you were still in a newsroom, because even my first one -- which was well-staffed and locally based -- did not.

 

We'd pretend we didn't hate each other long enough to work as a team.

Also, see my edits above.

 

The real issue seems to be how you balance getting information out as quickly to readers as you can, with making sure you have accurate information and names spelled correctly.

My thought is this: When you first get the news, you limit your first writing to two to three paragraphs that get the pertinent information out. This allows whoever does the editing to look at something short, verify it's accurate info, that spelling and grammar are fine, and then get it up on your site.

Then whoever does the writing gets an updated story together, expanding on the short story that originally went up. The copy editor then can take time to ensure everything is OK.

The problem with the article referenced in the OP is the writer is only concerned with rushing the full draft, not with refining the process to allow for immediacy first, then more details later, while still allowing for the editing process to take place.

I will add, though, that when it comes to errors, what most readers are concerned about is getting facts wrong — the more blatant and serious they are, the more like they'll stop reading. But while I agree spelling and grammar are important to writing, most readers just seem to shrug their shoulders. That doesn't make such errors OK, only that readers aren't overly concerned with them.

 

People don't give a shit. They just want something and don't care how it's edited or even if the copy is correct.